


La Mer

by Nikkorin



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aggression, Biting, Bonding, Dubious Consent, Grooming, Intersex, Licking/Frotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mermaids, Merman!Levi, Scenting, Smothering Levi, discontinued, dub-con, independent mermaid Eren, merfic, mermaid!eren, merman, riren - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-07-19 00:55:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7338058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikkorin/pseuds/Nikkorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Mer!fic ][Wild!fic]<br/>Tropical mer Eren meets his mate, a deep sea merman by the name of Levi. This is their brief story.<br/>[Discontinued due to death in family]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. AU Info

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Dark Waters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5754562) by [Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house/pseuds/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house). 



> So I've had this sitting on my desktop at work forever now and kept adding to it each day when I had time.  
> Inspired by Dark Waters, an AMAZING fic by Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house, please go check it out if you haven't yet! All the kudos their way!
> 
> I was so enamored at the wild aspect of their language (sounds, pitches, tones) so there is no human speech here. Humans don't exist in my head in this AU. It's short and to the point~ Hope you enjoy!

This is actually AU information that I've created in my head for some personal mermaid/merman Original Characters (OCs) but wanted to apply it to Eren and Levi. 

*****NOTE: Actions and events written here have the capability to border "dub-con" as I am writing them outside of human context. They will be portrayed with human-like emotions but do not abide to human standards in regards to communication, laws, and what you (as another human being) find "acceptable" in human society.**

**They are being portrayed as wild animals in this AU and do not communicate with human words.**

**If this bothers you, I would advise not to read this fiction.**

 

***

Tropical Mers:

Tropical Mers are commonly located in shallow warmer waters that are closer to the equator. Their habitats include coral beds/reefs and islands on the surface where they sunbathe. They can be found in two groups: in pods, which consist of no more than 10 mermaids and generally have an elder who leads them or alone, strong enough to sustain a life for themselves without the aid of a unit. Tropical mers are predominately adorned with bright eye-catching colors and decorative traits such as long flumes and patterned flukes. They are social and live a pacifist carefree lifestyle.

They are made up of ‘mermaids’ but are widely diverse and complex. They consist of two sexes: female and intersex. Evolution has integrated intersex mermaids into the Tropical category (only) due to their lower fertility rates, however it has also been concluded that intersex mermaids can also be infertile in regards to their male sex organ. They have a higher rate of conceiving with a dominant versus being a dominant themselves. Every mermaid in the Tropical category has the ability to bear children. Roughly 4 out of 10 mermaids are able to successfully conceive a litter of 2-4 offspring after coupling between their mates. They most commonly mate with their Fresh Water brethren to the north.

Deep Sea Mers:

Deep Sea Mers are commonly located in the deeper colder waters of the ocean. Their territory can range from all hemispheres and they are prone to migration as per what their food source dictates. They are the rarer of the mers because they are the most secretive and tend to never breach the surface due to their sensitivity to light. They have been known to frequent depths of at least 15 miles beneath the surface. They are predominately adorned with dark hues of blacks, greys and blues and have multiple layers of spines that are used for speed and maneuverability as well as sharper claws and 8 canines all together.

They are mainly made up of merman, the female sex being extremely rare. The probability is about 1 out of 20 mermaids are born from Deep Sea mers. Females are highly sought after and protected due to their high fertility rates and live in pods of around 5-7 males who will breed her over her lifetime. They can conceive 2 offspring at the most each time. Non-familial mermen stay with a female and her children, once of age, will journey off on their own and are not known to stick with their mother. Deep sea mers are extremely aggressive and even the females are able to sustain out on their own until they form their own pod or merge into one. They are most commonly known to mate within their own kin and the bloodline is strong.

Fresh Water Mers: 

Fresh Water mers are most commonly located on remote islands that harbor large bodies of land-based water such as lakes, swamps and rivers. Most of these bodies of water also have access to the ocean via underground channels to which they can venture. They have adapted to both fresh water and salt water but their skin becomes irritated easily if in the sea for too long. They are the most social of the species and have a wide variety of sounds for communication including being able to mimic certain animals such as birds. They live in large pods and are extremely communal creatures. Fresh waters are more plainly colored to suite their environment, mostly colored with hues of greens and yellows and are only adorned with additional fins used for mating displays that can be found on their back and tails.

They are also the only Mers in their species to be able to walk on land due to an evolutionary defect that allows their tails to dry up enough to form limbs similar to legs to which they can crawl. This causes their fin to be pushed back and will drag on the ground. It’s extremely uncomfortable due to the thick layer of membrane down the center of their tails having to dry up to stick to scale and most abhor using this trait unless they need to clear land to seek a mate in the ocean. (Im going to draw this later for a better image). Fresh Water Mers are made up of equal numbers of males and females, with a low but fairly standard fertility rate. They can have up to 3 offspring in one coupling.

 

 ***

 

*Due to their exclusive and extraordinary genes, mating between the subcategories rarely alters fertility rates & traits.

I.e.: Tropical’s are the only mers who can reproduce intersex offspring. Any intersex child born between 2 different mates will have Tropical genes.

I.e.: Fresh waters are the only mers who can reproduce limbs to travel on land, this trait can be passed onto intersex Tropicals but not female Tropical or Deep Sea mers.

I.e.: Deep seas can pass off coloration to Tropicals but predominantly cannot pass any other traits between the other mer categories due to evolution ensuring that their lines stay strong due to the harsh conditions in which they live.

The process of mating differs between each subcategory of mers.


	2. Found you

On the coast of an uninhabited island, gulls chirped incessantly upon the jagged rocks they sat perched. The crash and fall of the oceans waves against the shore muffled out most of their chatter and drowned out the crawl of steps by a silent shadow as they made their way across the cliff-side.

The glitter of golden scales reflected under the rays of the sun as a brown haired mermaid inched his way closer to his destination, stretching to a bipedal stance to a nest perched in a crevice nearly hidden in the rocks. The inhabitants of said nest had yet to return, leaving their prized possessions open to vulnerability. Eren wasted no time, nearly trilling in happiness as he reached up to remove the cluster of eggs that would serve as a filling meal for his belly, settling them in the crook of their arm.

Somewhere above him, neighboring birds caught sight of him and screeched in warning, causing the mermaids pointed ears to flicker forward in awareness before he hastily made his getaway. Such a prize was difficult to obtain but a pleasantry for an adult mermaid, filled with nutrients one could only find on land. It was a sort of ritual, after he’d matured into a young adult, to find this particular food source. For what, he did not know but his instincts demanded the hearty meal.

Eren continued to crawl his way back down the jagged cliff side, heading for the glittering tide pools that would lead him back to his home in the warm reefs. Wide turquoise eyes scanned the area, sniffing out as best as he could at the unfamiliar scents around him. Such an action was more difficult above water with his gills forced shut, but when the powerful smell of the ocean was the only determining scent he could pick up, the mermaid huffed, accepting there was no immediate danger.

Once settled into the alcove of a tide pool, the brunette pitched a happy chirp, all but tossing himself into the shallow warmer water, feeling his tail soak up moisture to reform itself, the flukes that had been dragged across the ground already healing. Unfortunately his spoils could only be enjoyed above water, making him remember that the last time he took them home with him, the yolky substance dissolved in the current and his second attempt to obtain more hadn’t been successful. The mermaid hisses at the sour memory, devouring the eggs currently in his possession with more haste. Yolk caught in the webbing of his fingers, sliding down his forearm and the mermaid lapped at the excess mess without a care.

Without knowing that he had new company watching him from the reefs just shy away from the pools. The ocean was loud here, crashing incessantly against the formation of rock and the visitor had been in passing having scented the alluring mermaid on a whim with the downdraft of wind.

It wasn’t until the wind caught again, shifting direction, did Eren’s instincts flare in warning at a foreign scent. The brunette jerked into action, whipping his head around towards the ocean to meet a pair of steel colored eyes all but peering into him, gaze unwavering and wholly focused. A growl ending on a higher pitched hiss erupts from his throat before he can stop it and he hunches up on himself causing flumes that were neatly hidden against his arms and ears to flare out in warning. The effort is strenuous outside of the water, the flumes shivering to hold themselves up. Lips curl back to reveal elongated canines, a sure sign of warning off threats.

The dark haired newcomer merely rises further out of the water, revealing more of themselves to sniff the air at the display before returning a lower growl, laced with a deeper more dominant sound, however this one ended with a call of intent. The reaction to the merman’s voice was instantaneous and Eren pitches a flurry of questioning barks at the familiar sound of his kin, but it was the thrum that sparked through his body that had his instincts warring to stay out of the water. The sound itself sent a shiver of something unknown down his spine causing him to bristle, wanting to shake it off. This stranger was not a part of one of the pods here.

The merman pitches another growl before he submerges, the large nearly translucent blue fluke of their tail rising out behind him to slap against the water in obvious display.

Eren watches the dark shadow travel through the water near the surface until the merman is all but clutching the rocks where he is perched. The brunette hisses in warning again, spitting and barking as he leans back on his haunches, prepared to back up if needed. The threat merely barks back to match him, revealing his own sharp canines but is not returning the challenge, merely relaxing their jaw as if yawning before bobbing in the water. He’s watching the mermaid with precise focus, a bit perplexed at the appendages where a solid tail should be.

_Same but not the same._ Is Eren’s first thought.

Mermaids were secretive, masters of camouflage and best avoided any outside interference to their pods or beings, including their more dominant kin until it was time for mating. Eren had first heard of a darker merman from an elder prior to his departure. But no one had actually seen one in person. And the mermen they had seen were described differently than this creature. The ones they spoke of were from the islands. They were not dark like this one, instead those ones had been green like kelp and vibrated with mirth. That kin had merely _played_ with his pod before stealing away a mate.

Eren barked and clawed at the rocks of the tide pool below him anxiously when the intruder scratched at the rocks lining the water mere meters away from him. The merman’s ears flickered at the reprimands but gave no other response, continued to claw at the rocks separating them, tilting his head to listen and observe the mermaid carefully. The creature tried to change tactic and crooned lowly towards him, calling him closer – but Eren didn’t return the call and the merman clicked in annoyance.

Eren started snarling when the intruder made to push up on the surface as if to climb over it. Instead the action became too difficult and the dark haired merman hissed again, sparing the mermaid a sharp glance before rearing back into the water and disappearing.

The reefs were Eren’s home and now an intruder separated him from his freedom.

His best option was to make it into the coral beds, where he had a better chance of utilizing his environment to escape. The reefs were jagged and sharp if one did not know their way, and he was fast, the fastest in his former pod. He was too slow on land and having adapted to coming ashore did not mean he belonged there. Not many mermaids were gifted such an ability, guided by the very magic of the goddess of the sea, able to form limbs in dry air. A skill bred from his father’s fresh water line, he was one of the very few that had enough endurance and courage to use the two appendages but it was irritatingly painful. His gills were already starting to hurt from the lack of use and he needed back in the water soon.

Haphazardly scanning the surface of the sea after an extended period of silence, Eren keened a low huff thinking the threat had given up, slinking as quietly as he could across the rock beds cradling the tide pool to submerge himself back into the warm ocean water without being detected. Unfortunately, he’d barely made it to the final rock separating him from his goal, half an arm in the water ready to dive in, when the merman reappeared.

He’d come up with no warning and there’d been no hint of movement just below the surface but Eren suddenly found himself face to face with the merman. A chirp of surprise had barely left his lips as the merman barreled up out of the water, wrapping his arms around the unsuspecting mermaid’s shoulders, teeth latching onto the delicate column of this throat to pull the poor creature back into the depths of the ocean.

The broken hiss that left Eren’s mouth ended on a stuttering whine as water surrounded him once more, however instead of feeling elated to be back in his home, fear coursed through his veins in its place and he jerked in his captors hold. It was only by the affirmation of teeth in this throat that he stilled in the merman’s embrace, the technique too effective in Eren’s mind to have been on a whim. This merman knew how to make him submit and did so without a thought. The teeth were not painful but forceful, the tips sinking into the tender flesh of Eren’s throat just enough to release a pheromone-like agent through his body causing him to feel sluggish.

Levi was keenly interested in this little mermaid, finding that despite looking like a dominant, the scent that he carried was clearly that of a mermaid. And finding him curiously alone and not cocooned within the safety of a pod as most tended to be sent a thrill down his spine. He hadn’t intended to come so near the shallows, had been merely heading through the area when he caught movement above the water. To Levi, the mermaid was one of the most elusive of their kin but finding one alone meant the now docile creature beneath him was actually quite dangerous, most likely harboring more offensive traits than defensive. That little display on the surface hinted such.

But he didn’t look like his kin, this one was bright and eye catching. Not at all like the dull greys he’d come into contact with throughout the years.

Eren’s gills flared, taking in the ocean water to aid his senses once more but there was little he could do but scent the threat holding him, his limbs weak at the submission hold. The fins down the length of his spine bristled and shuddered at the low rumble that began vibrating from Levi’s chest, reverberating into his very core. Fingers adorned by claws flexed and relaxed, wanting to tear into the creature holding him but knowing that in any given moment his throat could be torn out.

Levi allowed his scent to flare in response to the tense mermaid, a growl bubbling forth from his chest to test the brunette in his arms as his tail coiled around the mermaid’s tail bringing rapidly disappearing limbs together, preparing for the challenge that lay ahead. When the mermaid made no sound of protest in return, he released his bite, only to lap at the marks he left behind.

The natural chemicals that kept him docile would be wearing off quickly and the merman had to make haste. He makes quick work to scent mark his incapacitated partner, rubbing his torso, tongue, cheeks and neck over every inch of the mermaid he could. Levi all but rolled him in himself, finding that the odd limbs that he’d seen on the surface were no longer there. He needed the mermaid to have his scent in order for him to become familiar with Levi in both body and mind by scent alone. Eren could only twitch at the onslaught, jerking in the binding hold but unable to go far with the coil of Levi’s tail.

A noise pitched at a lower frequency had Levi huffing, clicking back a response that held no real meaning but held presence. Levi pulled back to admire the mermaid, noting that his tail was a brilliant turquoise, peppered with hues of gold, greens and yellows as vibrant as the flora of coral he called home. Two rows of spines adorned by nearly translucent fins just below his hips jutted against the merman’s tail for freedom, finding nothing but resistance before relaxing back against the bound scale.

The flukes at the end of his tail were long but surprisingly simple, shaded a vibrant green and tipped in gold. Levi hadn’t seen something so eye catching before, was discovering that the world may have been larger than he once thought. Undoubtedly not being from a pod he was familiar with, he knew that this was a mermaid – an odd mermaid but one he was rapidly wanting to breed.

Levi felt the thrum of desire only grow, pulled his torso back and watched, waited for those sparkling eyes to regain their composure – finding that when they opened back up in awareness it nearly stole his breath. The mermaid was strikingly beautiful aside from his intricacies, eyes the color of the purest emeralds, reflecting the warm tropical ocean itself. A heavy contrast between his own darker shark-like hues of grey, blue and black, best in deeper waters, eyes devoid of color to aid in seeing in the depths of darkness. Here so near the surface they had to contract to accept the overabundance of light.

This was a mermaid of the sun.

Levi felt the mating glands in his tongue swell when the mermaid glared at him and pressed against him suddenly, pushing the skin of their bellies ever closer. A confused hiss escaped the brunette, unfamiliar with the sight in front of him but Levi’s scent had seeped into him long enough for it to be deemed no longer a threat. He was torn between the scent that was telling him it was okay and the visual that reminded him he in fact, did not know this creature.

A low rumble reverberated within Levi’s chest, vibrating low enough to an almost purr as he slid his hand up the small of the mermaids back, deft fingers adorned by claws brushing along the shuddering spines. The mermaid jerked feebly again, having enough wit to grasp the merman’s biceps and dig his own claws in.

The effect had Levi hissing out, bending his vocal cords at the end to pitch a sound high and dominant, a sound wholly unfamiliar to the mermaid but enough for his instincts to recognize that he needed to stop and submit. Eren grudgingly gave into his instincts, complied for the sake of sparing his life.

He was rewarded by the smooth skin of Levi’s cheek brushing against his own once his claws eased out of the merman’s arms and the mermaid felt the stranger’s mouth open, sharp teeth brushing with the barest of touches against his skin. It was accompanied by a low pitched hiss, more of an exhale of breath, vocal cords hovering over the sound a moment before trailing off. It was not a show of aggression but held a hint of sensuality, a promise of claim.

_I found you. You are mine._


	3. Coupling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mers do the do.

Levi doesn’t know much about shallow water life but absolves to change that now that he’s found his own mate, who seems to inhabit this warmer water.

He appreciates the defiance in this mermaid, pulls back enough to flick a long tongue to lick at Eren’s lips before coaxing them to open. He needs inside – he needs to tie this mermaid to him, to mark him, to breed him. The glands in the sides of his tongue are throbbing and the urge to release the pressure is more than he could bear.

Eren whines at the contact, unsure at the new onslaught of scent that has his body reacting in strange ways. He barks at the merman in confusion turning his head but was met with persistence, that same tongue finally catching an opening of his mouth and plunging in without warning.

Eren’s teeth automatically sink into the muscle out of reflex and the pheromone in Levi’s glands all but explodes out, spreading and dominating the mermaid’s mouth.

Levi growls in ecstasy at the rush of flavor, hissing in triumph - his tail clenching tightly around the mermaid once-twice, making sure the submissive swallows the chemical into his system before releasing him.

The reaction in his body comes so fast that Eren has to rear back forcefully, another confused bark escaping his lips as his body ends up dragging in the water as if drugged, denying him from the swift flight he’d been intending. His body temperature abruptly begins to soar and he’s hot, spines flaring and shivering as his skin flushes causing his tail to jerk, swirling its own current. The swell of heat only grows and he whimpers, nearly thrashing at the sudden itch under his skin.

His back hits the sandy bottom before he knows it and he pitches a keen, body arching. His body tingles…tail burns and heat pools in his gut. Eren writhes onto himself for a few brief moments, clawing at the sea floor in a vain attempt to display how the urges in his body are relentless.

His emerald eyes are bleary, catching the sound of a demanding chuff above him, at the merman hoveringly silently watching him avidly with a predator’s gaze. Waiting. Inviting. Desiring. The trepidation he’d felt only moments ago is now warped, fueled by desire and aggression. Instincts demanding more than his mind is aware of.

It only takes a second before Eren allows his instincts to take control and the mermaid barrels up with no warning, slamming into the dominant with purpose, coiling around him. Levi meets him eagerly, bracing at the sheer momentum of the smaller mermaids impact before growling out and snapping his teeth. They tumble in the current, high pitched whines and barks echoing across the depths. Levi embraces the challenge, knows that no matter how hard this little jeweled eyed mermaid may try, nature has deemed him the dominant – deemed him the winner in this courtship.

Pressed together so close, Levi can actually feel the rush of heat that explodes from the mermaids slit pressing against his own, can smell the sweet slick that will guide him home and he tries not to drown in the sheer scent of Eren’s heat, one that he’d started - only for him. The small appendage that suddenly brushes against Levi’s abdomen has him growling, nipping at the mermaid’s shoulder as he feels the slick cock pulsing against him seeking relief. He doesn’t question why there is both, only cares that there is a place for him to mate this creature. Beneath the mermaid’s small cock is his pearl, an additional pocket intended only for his mate and is secreting a delicious inviting scent.

The initial tumble is the most challenging but Levi knows, embraces aggression even though the scent of sex is heavily laced on the back of his tongue. Eren barks in frustration and bites at the merman, trying to pin the dominant as his tail squeezes down. Levi doesn’t give him the chance to latch on the way the mermaid intends, barreling them into a roll, freeing his tail to counter wrap against him. Levi’s tail is longer, thick with muscle and able to clamp down and hold with ease as he positions himself right over the mermaid’s entrance.

The keen the mermaid emits causes Levi to growl, snapping his teeth when Eren hisses back at him and the brunette slams his torso into the dark haired merman despite the hold. Levi chuffs at his soon to be mate, frustrated. He knows the first coupling is the worst, the quickest and the most impersonal. But they’ll have plenty of time to enjoy each other after the little mermaid is bound to him. When his seed shoots deep and their bodies accept its mate.

His own slit opens, in preparation for what is about to happen and the dominant pheromone spills around them as Eren’s clawed hands grasp at his back in vain. Levi can feel his cock beneath his flesh, throbbing and needing to be anchored in the smaller male. His fins flare, a throaty violent snarl rumbling from his chest as he grips the brunette’s hair, yanking his head back to bury his teeth into the tender column of his throat. Eren pitches a high pitch whine - a call, as his body goes lax for half a second to allow Levi to take him.

The dominants cock begins ascending, the head pistoning against Eren blindly before finding his entrance, thrusting in rapid succession to part the folds before finding purchase and sinking in deep. The brunette hisses and arcs his back in Levi’s hold, jerking violently before bucking into the merman, lodging him deeper into the hot channel before recoiling. The sensation is new, foreign to the both of them but Levi won’t be dislodged and holds firm. He huffs out a croon against Eren’s skin, groaning with each feeble jerk the mermaid gives.

It isn’t long until the merman feels the small barb sitting just along the bottom of his shaft expand and latch into the slick muscle inside Eren that he releases his bite with a guttural growl, abruptly shooting rivets of seed into the male. The suddenness of the barb has the mermaid whining, his own seed spurting between them as his lower half fills with warmth. It’s abrupt enough for Eren to be winded, having been blindsided by the sudden release and Levi clicks halfhearted reassurances to the now panting male in his arms.

The barb is intended for pure stimulation, made wholly for the purpose of mating and is key for the merman to know he’s creating willing and fertile ground for his seed. It’s a trait harbored only in deep water mermen, each varying in size and shape.

Their coupling is very much far from over, the first release is quick and merely the first drastic step to make sure he will be this mermaid’s only suitor- to make sure he smells of claim. Levi knows there will be more, especially if the mermaid doesn’t try to rip his head off. He chuffs, nuzzling the side of Eren’s face, licking swaths across his cheeks in a mock show of grooming. It’s a test, merely to see if the mermaid will accept his ministrations.

Eren blinks, a disinterest huff escaping him, however whistles a few lower notes back at the merman, teal eyes peering at slate gray with a bit of defiance. Levi growls but it’s halfhearted as he smooths his fingers over the corners of the mermaid’s eyes, tracing the glittering scales that line them. Levi presses his face lower, lips nearly against the mermaid’s mouth as he purrs and clicks softer sounds – a name.

_I am Levi._

Pointed ears lined with glittering golden scale flicker in curiosity, fanning out catching the notes before retracting, Eren’s head tilting minutely. He regards the smoldering gaze haphazardly before jerking his chin to the right in defiance. The haughty display has Levi hissing, displeased with the shitty mermaid’s demeanor but he merely transforms it into a chesty growl, chest vibrating. Eren’s ears flicker again and teal eyes steal a glance in the merman’s direction in slight interest before jolting back away.

Levi’s cock suddenly jerking from his body is what gets his full attention again, plump lips parting from their purse to let out a yelp. The feeling of emptiness follows, a hollowness when the merman’s tail unwraps from him that causes his palms to instinctually come to rest on his pelvis, as if wanting to prevent his mate’s seed from escaping him because it’s not enough, he’s not satisfied and it hasn’t took. When he catches Levi watching the movement, he removes it from his body quickly, huffing at him. Eren now knows there is no more flight, no will to flee from this creature who has acutely marked him. The smaller mermaid sways in the current contemplating, his own cock still partially exposed and half hard.

He knows they’ll go many more rounds now that the merman has shot his first coat of seed into him and it will be only him who will be able to satisfy him. Only Levi that will now be by his side. But it doesn’t mean he’ll make it any easier for this odd creature though.

Levi watches him with astute awareness, gaze flickering between his sex and his face, watching for every little movement the mermaid makes, every twitch of muscle and every emotion that flutters across his face. A crooning growl escapes his lips that has Eren’s lids lowering, the sheer sign of his heat pulsing in the water around them, before he turns over with a disinterested sniff and lazily makes his way into another area of the coral beds. Levi is on him instantly, cutting him off from venturing too far into the sharp plants where he’d have limited access to him. Eren merely takes it in stride, shooting a sultry bark at the merman before changing directions and repeating the action.

Each time he ventures, the merman is there brushing against him-- not grabbing or restraining, but teasing. Each cool brush of those fingertips, on his tail, his cheeks and neck- against his skin leaves a burning trail and is riling him up once more. Eren continuously gets steered away from sheltered portions of his home with breathy nips to his ears or shoulders, hissing when the merman gets bold enough to start pawing at his hardening cock, if only for brief moments before backing away each time.

And each time Eren’s resolve crumbles more.

It’s completely lost when he makes the mistake of turning over, belly facing the surface. He had thought that last particularly hard bite to the merman’s ear had him backing off for good but as soon as his belly is exposed to the light, clawed hands are suddenly gripping his hips. The mermaid has barely enough time to open his mouth before Levi descends on him, tongue all but wrapping around the now fully hard appendage dangling just below his abdomen. He jolts in the merman’s hold, the protest that had been ready to be thrown at him cuts off into a strangled mewl.

Levi expels the dominant pheromone in the glands in his tongue, the scent heavy as it latches onto the sensitive organ. It pulses as Eren squirms in his hold, obviously having an internal battle with himself at his instincts. His body has accepted its position as submissive so the attention to the dominant appendage is a confusing sensation. But whatever the merman has on his tongue, is burning fire straight through him.

Now that Levi has time to appreciate this additional intimate part of his mate, he finds he can easily take it down in one mouthful. It’s such a pretty thing, just like the rest of the mermaid, curved similar to his own but with softer angles. It’s splashed with green and gold, fading to the natural color of his flesh at the tip – now blushing an angry red at being so aroused and Levi wants to assume it feels sensations just as his own does. At Eren’s reaction, he knows it does.

Eren all but sings, hips bucking wildly into the merman’s mouth as the purr Levi emits vibrates and amplifies the sensations. His plump lips curl, showing off his canines as he hisses and whines in pleasure. The clawed hands that bury themselves in midnight hair have the merman tensing for a brief moment before he realizes that it’s not accompanied by pain, instead Eren is latching on, holding him firm. Triumph swells in his chest and he gives a hard suck, curling his tongue around the head before dipping into the slit at the top.

Eren comes with little warning, a whine escaping him as he bucks one last time, whimpering when Levi releases the still hard cock and his seed shots into the current. Levi wastes no time, laps at the excess mess noting with surprise that it’s sweet and dares to go lower, quickly deciding to thrust his tongue into the wet cavern below the mermaid’s small sack. Two fingers follow suit and sink into the heated flesh, curling coyly. More seed spurts from Eren’s barely spent cock in reaction. Levi feels determined, having heard whispers from his brethren that mermaid’s had quite the stamina during their heats – he is glad they were not wrong.

Levi snarls at the expellant of scent, floating up Eren’s body until he’s pressed squarely against the smaller mermaid ready to take him again, tail curling and wrapping around his intimately. He does and this time his aim true. His shaft enters Eren in one push and there is no resistance or protest as well, only yips and cries of the mermaid made hazy by his heat. Levi pushes deeper, tightening his grip on Eren’s tail as he stretches his length to its full glory intending to sink his seed deep. The time for proper mating is now and he will need to work all the stops in order to try and impregnate his little defiant mate.

Eren bucks, tilting his head to meet Levi’s own and he nips at him before moving to bite at his shoulder. His arms wind around the merman’s shoulders, claws nicking into his skin. Levi snarls with no inflection, the sound vibrating his entire chest as he thrusts wildly into his mate. Eren purrs in between the wails and breathy hisses, biting at the merman’s scale that lines the curvature of his neck and shoulder with each strong thrust. In return, clawed fingers caress the smooth skin of the mermaid’s back, encouraging him to bite harder.

They are both writhing in the current, the hazy seed that remains around them courtesy of Eren has Levi driving harder, faster into the little mermaid. A particularly uncomfortable thrust has Eren snapping his jaws down, spitting an unhappy hiss at the merman as his teeth draw blood on his shoulder. Levi doesn’t stop, lost to the drive to mate and leans down to bite at his mate’s neck in return, marking and claiming the smooth skin and scale.

His pace is brutal, even as he feels the barb extend again. It pulses, pistons against the slick cavern seeking purchase and one last deep thrust has it latching - holding. The reaction from the mermaid is instant as he arcs wide, his mouth open in a scream – voice echoing at a frequency only creatures of the sea can hear. Eren comes over and over in response, jerking and whimpering at every pulse of Levi’s barb inside him, coaxing more climaxes each time. The emerald eyed mermaid calls for him despite the overwhelming sensations, calling for mate.

Small spines that had been flat against Levi’s cock rise and latch, holding firm so that the mermaid cannot separate from him without inflicting pain on himself. His muscles clench around Levi, who growls loudly, barking out a snarl as he follows shortly after, rivets of thick semen coating the mermaid’s hot channel, filling him over and over.

His stamina is unmatched, bred from the finest of lines as he continues to release inside of the mermaid in long spurts. The spines cause Eren to clench harder around him, jerking more from his sack. Levi’s bark ends on a whine as he curls over the mermaid, abdomen jerking with each continuous spurt into his mate, drowning his womb thoroughly with seed. It will continue until his barb releases and the spines swell down.

Eren whimpers with each pulse, going pliant in his hold feeling more content as the burn in his belly and the itch under his skin dissipate for the moment. Clawed fingers find themselves pawing gently at Levi’s forearms when the height of their pleasure dims to a muted lull. The raven haired merman croons lowly, rubbing his head against Eren’s after a moment. It’s an affectionate gesture that Eren finds he allows, purring when Levi starts lapping at his ears. Another coat of release has them shuddering and Eren huffs at the merman, wanting his attention.

Levi meets that emerald gaze that is now staring at him bashfully but stubbornly. He clicks out two syllables before darting his gaze away and Levi tilts his head at the sounds before realizing the little spitfire has just told him his name.

_Eren._

Has accepted him in doing so.

Levi can’t help the way his body jerks, jostling the spines latched in his mate who barks in reprimand looking a bit affronted. It settles not a moment later when more seed is expelled into him, soothing the irritation.

Levi clicks at Eren, reaching up to smooth his fingers across his face, cupping his jaw and nipping at the mermaid’s nose. Eren hisses in weary reprimand, nipping back at Levi until they both banter back and forth with hearty barks and whistles. Eren grows increasingly more familiar with his new mate, finding that the mysterious dark merman is less intimidating while wrapped in his arms. Sharp eyes are wholly focused on him, mirth dancing in their depths as the nips turn to licks and barks turn into croons. The mermaid even allows his new mate to lick into his mouth a few times before the action becomes too embarrassing for him and he chases away Levi’s lips.

Ten minutes later, the spines release themselves from the mermaid and relax back into Levi’s shaft, the barb releasing its anchor to allow the two to separate. Levi stretches and croons at his mate, spines shuddering and flexing in grandeur as a low purr rumbles deep from within his chest when he notices that none of his seed escapes the mermaid. His new mate has done well to accept all of it. Eren stretches almost coyly, appreciative of the purr directed at him and tracks his eyes down the length of Levi’s display now that he can appreciate him fully.

He is most certainly not from his own immediate kin, or any nearby pod that he’s familiar with, but Eren is curious at this new dark spot that contrasts against his colorful home. He is built lithe but strong, muscle and sinew sitting on him as if honed for speed and agility. Eren has no doubt his new mate is _fast_. There are spines that rest down the length of his tail as well as his forearms and back, no doubt used for quick maneuvers in the midst of a chase. His tail is sleeker but thicker than his own, the scales smaller and blunt as if dulled down, and he remembers the smooth but hard texture when it was wrapped around him. The scales littered around Levi’s body are flooding with color, going from a dull slate to flushed cerulean that catch beautifully in the sun’s rays. What he notices the most is the sharpness of that gaze, the steel silver that line his pupils that Eren has to believe isn’t a normal feature on his mate…perhaps it has to do with the light?

Whatever the reasoning, that gaze is focused on him and him only. Eren vibrates with his own purr, shifting and flowing minutely knowing that his own scales shimmer in the light beaming down through the waters – gold to emerald, blues and yellows. The entrails of the fins at his hips flow with the motion, seeming to frame his form while he’s flushing with color. His mate definitely notices the sway, gaze sharpening at the transition of colors, finds it incredibly attractive as he whistles and clicks out his appreciation.

Eren vibrates with pride, chirping out his own plethora of sounds, choosing to swim around the dominant. Levi allows him, watches him keenly as he holds his position still, even when Eren stops to sniff at him. It starts at the back of his ear, tickling his jawline and Levi has to tell himself he isn’t imagining that little lick that steals across his skin. He finds himself tilting his head to sniff at the top of his mate’s head in return, though the mermaid moves away quickly and he huffs. The teasing licks continue across his throat until he’s found his scent gland, sniffing it raptly before sliding his own throat against him and coming back to inspect it. Eren repeats the action, licking at the gland a few times to stimulate it, rubbing his own throat against it and coming back to sniff at it. A rumble builds in Levi’s chest, a hearty purr and he clenches his hands, wanting to grab and pin his mate.

Eren is scent marking him, finding that when the smell of him isn’t strong enough on Levi’s skin he repeats his ministrations. Once one side is adequate, he switches to the other and Levi curls his lips to let out a breathy croon at his persistence. Eren whines at him in return, coming up to lick at his mouth before descending, ignoring the way Levi tries to nip at him. His skin is starting to itch again, becoming warmer each time he smooths his glands against the merman’s body.

Boldly, he paws at Levi’s hips, licks at the scale just above his protective slit causing him to jerk, a snarl escaping above his head but it’s far from threatening. Eren coyly avoids the hands that reach to grip him, back-swimming and whistling teasingly. He doesn’t miss the way Levi’s eyes dart to his abdomen, seeing if he’s willing once more. The cockhead peeking out beneath the folds has his mate growling, wanting more. Those eyes jerk back into emerald orbs that dance coyly before he turns and bolts into the more expansive coral beds. The scent of heat left in his wake has the merman jerking into action and he is on him quicker than he would have liked, the sleek merman nearly snarling in his ear as he twists away, avoiding capture. The tropical mermaid whistles again, circling and dodging Levi until they come upon a coral formed cave near his home, intending to lure Levi into the darker, more private space.

An unfamiliar note of a snarl reaches the mermaids ears and trepidation spikes down his spine. It wasn’t a welcoming sound and there’s no warning when Levi suddenly barrels into him as he stops to assess the merman, sending them sprawling into the cave. Eren barks haphazardly at the force and the two tumble, curling in and around each other as Eren fights the pin the merman is trying to force upon him. Levi is considerably faster and stronger, coincidentally is also not used to the act of playing chase as he finds an opening and sets his teeth roughly against his mate’s throat, effectively stunning him. The exchange is over in mere moments, the violent displeasing rumble that unleashes from the merman’s throat amidst the bite has Eren whining, not understanding the sudden rough treatment.

He feels robbed, knows that nothing will come from such a rough coupling. Eren goes motionless in Levi’s arms, whines and whimpers escaping his throat as his tail goes slack. Wholly submissive and confused. It’s enough to pull the merman from his aggressive haze, jerking back into focus. The pressure at Eren’s throat suddenly disappears and Levi emits a garbled click, apologetic and remorseful as his hands come up to cup Eren’s face.

The mermaid flinches and he feels the action like a shark ripping out his heart. Croons spill from his lips as he tries to get the mermaid to look at him, more apologetic whimpers leaving his lips. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that Eren was in fact just trying to guide him to this place once he stops to consider his actions. The mermaid was trying to entice him, the action playful but he’d responded as if threatened. As if the mermaid was fleeing from him.

The rock he lowers them to on the ocean floor is smoothened both by the ocean and by hard working hands. The walls of the reef cave are littered with colorful arching coral, filled with life but the most noticeable feature to him is that it’s darker and greatly helps settle his vision. His mate had been perceptive enough to notice the strain the sunlight was placing on his eyes being out in the open as they were.

Another whine escapes Levi and he settles them down comfortably on the rock bed, nosing at Eren for some sort of response. He’ll gladly take claws to the face for his stupid misunderstanding. Eren just barely lets out a low despaired whine, wanting to turn away from the merman but Levi won’t have it. Gentle hands paw at the mermaid while he sets out to lap at his skin, soothing over every inch he can, coming to gingerly lave attention at the bite marks he put in this throat.

In between he clicks and chuffs, trying to explain to his mate his folly that his aggression was unwarranted and he fell back on instincts of deeper waters. He whistles apologies and begs for forgiveness. The raven continues to lick down the mermaid’s body, grooming with a gentle touch, relishing in each small spasm the skin below his tongue laments. He nuzzles against his mate’s stomach before coming back up to lave more attention to the bite wound on his throat, releasing the chemical in his tongue. The pheromone also acts as a soothing agent and he spreads it softly, lapping gently as he croons a sound deep in his chest.

The pain simmers to a dull soreness and Eren clicks so lowly that Levi almost misses the sound, dark eyes shooting up to see that large emerald orbs are regarding him imploringly. His mouth is slightly parted as he pants but he makes no other move other than to let his eyes search the ravens, weary.

Levi warbles a low placating sound and Eren is silent for what feels like forever until he closes his eyes and huffs, throwing his head back to click back a few brooding notes. Levi continues his ministrations, lapping his tongue over scales that are now flooding with color as blood fills them. Eren flicks the end of his tail haughtily.

It isn’t until soft fingers inch over his temples to curve down to his jaw that Levi stops his journey, allowing Eren to lift his face away from his body. The slight pressure of those fingertips has him moving up his mate’s body until emerald eyes are peering into his, a small coaxing mewl escaping his lips. The merman accepts what he can, emits a soothing rumble in response and sets his forehead against Eren’s in a show of apologetic affection. The two mers take a moment to just lie together, bodies and tails flush, flukes pawing at one another.

The peace is easily shattered however, when another unsteady mewl leaves Eren’s lips and Levi feels the body below him shiver. Mating may bring them together intimately but it undoubtedly doesn’t leave much room other than coupling due to the persistence of the mermaid’s heat that will last at least 4 moon risings. They will bond emotionally in between each wave until it’s over.

Levi allows a growl to rumble through his chest, dick hardening again. The head peeks out from his folds as he presses closer, pinning the mermaid to the rock bed. Levi’s pelvic muscles jerk beneath his skin at the feeling of Eren’s cock pulsing between them and it is the emerald eyed mermaid who twines their tails together, pushing up.

Levi chuffs in reprimand when Eren’s shaft presses against his own folds. There is nowhere for him to go however and the two appendages frot against one another before Levi nips the mermaid in exasperation before moving away. The added stimuli has the raven shooting out, fully hardened and he grips Eren’s hips, pushing into his womb in one fluid thrust that has both of them shivering, heat piquing again.

It isn’t until three days later that Eren’s heat begins to settle, the tropical mermaid having been exhausted but sated. They’d curled in his nesting area once the mermaid had reached the worst of his heat, a quaint cave hidden behind sharp coral to ward away predators. It’d been big enough for both of them and Levi was more than happy to wrap around his new mate.

Eren is on his last reserves of energy, succumbing to letting the merman take care of him where they lay connected, the last dregs of seed spurting into him while he dozed. There is no frenzied movement, only the gentle ministration of Levi grooming him while his body continues to be mated.

And when they finally release, the potent scent in the water clearing, Levi is able to unfurl around Eren to go off in search of food he knew his mate would need.

Eren is awake by the time he returns, fish and plants sewn onto a makeshift line created by kelp. The first whine that bubbles out of his mate’s throat when peeking out of his cave alone has Levi rushing to him to nuzzle against him reassuringly. The rumble of a croon coaxing the mermaid to tilt his head so Levi can slide his glands against his own, mingling their scents once more.

Once satisfied, Levi shuffles the mermaid back into the cave, taking the string of food with him. Eren is too exhausted to do more than let Levi guide him, curls belly down on a rock made warm by their bodies as he watches the raven haired merman offer sustenance.

A few bashful clicks have Eren’s ears perking and he tilts his head that was placed atop of his hands - listening. The dark merman looks a bit conflicted as he examines his catches, unfamiliar with the resources in this thriving land.

They were too colorful….would they all be edible?

Eren trills back in response, relaying Levi did well. None of the fish he’d caught had been poisonous and the plants were edible. Most of the toxic prey tended to stay at the ocean floor, hidden by anemones or dense rock caverns.

Levi vibrates with pride while Eren merely flicks his tail.


	4. Aftermath

A few days later, the merman learns that Eren’s home is in too popular a location for his tastes.

He’d been patrolling the area in order to get more familiar with it when he gets slapped in the face with an unfamiliar scent. It’s rich and dominant -- definitely that of another merman and far too close to the den. His hackles rise and aggression builds like a second skin, ripping a growl from his throat as he zips through the water to find the source. He can taste it on the back of his tongue, wants to size up this threat – itches for a fight.

Another suitor means a new addition that could possibly end up creating a pod. He is not familiar with his sun loving mers mating traditions but if they are anything like his own, he knows that if Eren so chooses, he will have no choice but to accept another male into their unit. His spines bristle at the very idea. He wants the mermaid for himself.

Though, as he approaches the den, there’s a hearty stream of snarling and hissing he knows to be warning sounds from Eren. The emerald eyed mermaid’s spines are flared in warning, blood sharpening each angle so it’s harsh on the eyes. He’s threatening in his own right, fins vibrating in warning to stay away as he thrashes in the water, sharp canines revealed and spitting hisses and snarls. The unfamiliar notes of chuffing coming from the intruder seem to ignore the way the mermaid is refusing him and the merman lets a bellowing snarl rip out of his throat. His mate has sealed the intruder’s fate with his solid refusal.

There would be no other for him.

The figure who’d had his back towards Levi stiffens, whirling around just in time to get a face full of claws. Levi rips into the merman, sends him barreling to the sea floor before backing up. His display is terrifying, spikes arching wide, fins flaring and flooding with blood that causes crimson to light up the blue of his scales. Sharp canines are bared and spitting guttural growls and snarls that shake his very core. He sways and prepares for the next strike, waiting for the intruder to make a move.

The light haired merman is recovering, bellowing out his own roar of challenge from the floor but Levi can see hesitation in his display. He is acutely aware that not many so close to the surface have ever seen his kind, most likely don’t know what to do with him but he uses that to his advantage.

He roars at the merman again who bellows back at him, mistakenly eyeing Eren behind his mate and Levi snaps. It takes but a whisper of movement before he’s slamming into the merman again, slate and green tails thrashing wildly kicking up sand on the ocean floor that smothers their forms from view.

Eren is barking and snarling just off to the side, smart enough to let Levi—who’s built and honed for battle-- handle the intruding merman. Gets to see the true aggression that comes from his new mate and finds he feels pride. A dart of green streaks by moments later and when the sand settles, Levi is the only merman left, blood coating his hands and mouth but looks nonetheless uninjured. He barks and growls in triumph, spines flexing before settling as he scents the area, finding that the intruders scent is rapidly fading. He’d fled.

Levi yowls deeply, startling Eren. The call is for him, for his mate, for his spoils of victory.

Eren’s gut clenches but he barks in return, whistles and trills to Levi- his mate.

And the merman is there, aggression still clinging to him like a second skin but Eren doesn’t flinch, allows his mate to couple them once more and to spread his scent over his body. He is urgent and frenzied but his hands are gentle in the face of having shown him his strength.

And two weeks after, the merman shows Eren the true skill of his speed.

The pair had relocated to a new cave just shy of the sea drop off, separating the warm shallows from the colder deeper waters Levi called home. The strain of light had been too great on him to remain in the shallows, but today he was journeying towards the surface, Eren in tow as a new goal settles in his mind.

Levi rises to the surface silently, only emerging up to his nose to peer around. It was overcast and cloudy, giving him a bit of relief against the harsh light of the sun. Once satisfied, he pops back down to nuzzle against the mermaid, ushering him a bit deeper into the water and clicks at him to remain still where he was.

He got a haughty look in return.

Eren had already proven his strength after he’d recovered from his heat, allowing the more aggressive mer to see that he was not to be doted on or smothered. Levi sported a few bruises, scrapes and bite marks to prove it.

But now, the mermaid watches his mate swim away from him with all the grace of the current, nearly becoming a smudge in the water, blending and reflecting so that he was nearly impossible to see. He stilled, didn’t blink—not even a flick of his tail as he honed onto his target. Seemed to fully become one with the color of the ocean.

Eren holds his breath.

Levi is off in an instant, the barest twitch of muscle before he shoots through the water with such speed that Eren actually misses it and doesn’t come to realize that Levi had actually breached the surface until the resounding splash announces his return.

Eren hisses and bites him on the shoulder when he returns with a plump gull, transitioning to lick a quick stripe where he’d bitten his mate. He slides their throats together before taking the dead animal out of his hands. It’s a clean catch and Eren trills at the merman who does nothing more than huff, bringing his hands up to clean them of blood. The mermaid takes off with the bird not a moment later but Levi has no interest in surface food, allows him to do with it what he will.

On some level the merman’s instincts recognize this new drive that’s lodged itself into his mind, honing in on them to provide these new things for his mate. There’s something nagging at him that causes him to hunt, bringing new and odd delicacies into their home in which Eren appreciates and doesn’t hesitate to accept.

Levi returns to their den, idly aware of the floating mass of feathers just down the slope of the sea drop off. Finds his mate grooming, the bird already gone bones and all. He resolves to get another, barking at Eren who barely spares him a glance in his ministrations other than a sultry flick of his tail.

He’s an independent little spitfire but Levi finds it attractive, finds that when his mate finally _submits_ to him that it means the trust he has for him has grown, that Levi is the _only_ one he will submit to.

And if he doesn’t get another round of food, he knows Eren will go out himself. He abhors to the idea.

Ten minutes later he returns with three birds.

But Eren has dozed off on their rock bed, tail curved just off the side to trail unconsciously in the water as he rests his check against the crook of elbow. Levi drops the food off to the side, anchoring it into the sand before coming to rest next to the bed. He croons and finds that Eren responds with a low purr. He’s acting a bit docile today the merman notes, and finds it nice but his mate really shouldn’t be so lethargic.

 _Isn’t_ usually so lethargic.

He clicks a few curious notes and leans down to groom the mermaid who mewls, bearing his teeth as he tilts his head back to allow Levi to lick at his scales. The merman nuzzles him, starts scenting him until he finds a subtle change in his smell – buries his nose into Eren’s gland to try and draw it out before continuing down, trying to hone on the unfamiliar scent. He should only smell of himself and Levi, was he sick? Was the land food bad?

By the time he’s at the mermaid’s pelvis, Eren is squirming, clicking in weak protest at being bothered but Levi holds firm to his hips. He shifts and presses his torso down firmly before leaning down to scent above his slits. The scent is different here and his instincts slam into him enough that he all but shoves his nose into Eren’s pelvis. The mermaid is fully awake now, hisses at the persistent intrusion and paws at his mate’s grip on his sides.

Levi tries to growl but it comes out a warbled whine, pitching off as he keeps shoving his nose into Eren’s slit. A moment later he starts licking at it almost wildly, panting in between laps, the scent strong and unfamiliar…but actually familiar in a way he can’t describe and his instincts are rising in triumph. Rising in need and pride and he whines loud enough to catch Eren’s rapt attention who answers back with his own stuttered confused whine.

And when Levi comes to nuzzle the soft skin of his belly, licking with the softest of touches, crooning and allowing his scent to flare – Eren knows.

Emerald eyes are wide, mystified and in awe. He can do nothing but watch his mate dote on him, prideful and smug. Levi is chuffing and barking out softly but when he hits a pitch that has Eren narrowing his eyes, he gets a face full of tail. Eren ignores the surprised yip.

A little _too_ prideful for him.

Eren huffs, laying back down on the rock to relax and nearly rolls his eyes at his mate’s now irritated expression.

_He’s pregnant._


	5. Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM TRASH  
> All I can say is please don't hate me, all good things in due time? ( ; x ; ) ?  
> * A warning tag other than "false hopes" will NOT be added to this due to the nature of the incident NOT being a serious affliction other than 'false positive'. Nothing was actually gained or lost.

To say Eren is a bit put off is a heavy understatement.

The emerald eyed mermaid had let his dark mate dote on him until he’d decided he had enough of the smothering. It’d taken a set of claws to the poor merman’s chest to get him to finally back away and Eren could only hiss in annoyance. His instincts had been telling him of his possible pregnancy prior to the raven sniffing it out and the overabundance of sudden attention had him caught off guard.

Levi was still hovering near him, picking at the rakes down his chest, rubbing the skin absentmindedly and Eren is surprised to see that it seems to be of little importance that he’d hurt him. It’s like he’s assessing the severity of damage his mate is capable of.

Was that pride on his face?

The mermaid huffs, flicking his tail to and fro in irritation perched on his rock bed. He can inflict a lot more pain than he thinks. Poison too, if he’s feeling extra spiteful.

It was still too early for them to confirm that his body would fully take and fertilize. Eren hopes for the best but doesn’t forget the reality of his position, it had taken former pod mates many moons to be able to bear offspring and it isn’t uncommon to not take in the first coupling. His body could have been just sending out the first signs that his mate’s seed had latched but not necessarily took. He has no real way of communicating this information to Levi however, it’s ingrained in his very DNA.

He also has no way to tell his mate that under normal circumstances after mating he would have gone back to his pod to wait out the process, to alert them to start building a birthing nest if he actually became pregnant. He has no doubt the dark imposing merman would have followed him, probably would have caused trouble for his family. Eren hasn’t yet come to understand Levi’s place amongst his instinctual traditions. The independent mermaid is not used to such affections yet and is a bit leery of how the deep sea merman will react through this process. Freshwater mermen are aggressive after coupling so to increase their chances of becoming pregnant, Tropical mers will migrate back to their pod where there is comfort and pampering. Levi seems more adept to the latter and Eren doesn’t know what to think.

The night comes with many more chiding hisses and breathy snarls but Eren settles enough to let Levi curl around him, allowing him to groom him when he finally realizes there will be no hostility from the merman. The mermaid falls asleep before he knows it, feeling only the soothing sensation of a slick tongue at the back of his ear and up towards his temple. The action reminds him of home and he purrs, tension bleeding out of his sleeping form, shaking off the irritation of being coddled after the aggression that had built up that day. The rock is warm beneath them as Levi curls his tail, prompting his mate to do the same so he can cocoon them together in a ball.

\---***---

It’s with great trepidation that emerald eyes blink open the next morning… and he knows.

Also becomes aware of the heavy weight that’s settled on his tail and abdomen.

Levi is draped across him, his chin resting on his hip and is clicking so lowly it almost sounds like a mewl. The sound reverberates against his skin like a steady purr but Eren knows it’s far from it, is aware that his mate staring blearily at him already knows what’s happened. Eren lifts the end of his tail to caress his fluke against Levi’s back as he croons back at him, realizing that the hearty scent he had before was no longer clinging to him. He feels only a bit of sadness, just knows that his body wasn’t ready to accept that batch of seed but there will be many more chances and he hopes less of these false positives. Bearing children is a long drawn out affair for his kin but he assumes his very foreign mate is not accustomed to failure.

Eren is just glad it hadn’t actually been something more. His instincts wail at the very thought. The scent had been a false positive, Levi’s seed had tried to latch but was unsuccessful and died off.

Levi blinks slowly at Eren’s croon, tilting his head in curiosity but the barely audible breathy mewls continue to fall from his lips. His ears flicker and gills expand, finding no distress emitting from the brunette like he’d prepared for. Instead Eren chitters at him, trying to get him to get up but Levi merely broods and huffs, not understanding. The dark haired merman isn’t used to such an independent presence, wants to bond with his mate especially since their coupling hadn’t been successful. Eren doesn’t connect the severity of what Levi is asking of him, unused to the ways of the deep sea merman.

Levi’s instincts are telling him that bonding is the most important action he needs to take right now. He feels that the mermaid hadn’t fully found him suitable to bear his children but Eren doesn’t seem to want to lie down with him.

Doesn’t want to bond with him.

After one too many prods to get him to move, Levi grows agitated at his mate’s immature antics and is bold enough to actually bite Eren’s wayward fingers away when the brunette tries to poke the scales at his jawline. The colorful mer isn’t letting him figure this out quietly.

The bite is rewarded with a displeased hiss of course, before Eren begins to buck his mate off him. They tussle in their den, the tropical mermaid quickly yowling and transitioning it into amusement as they kick up a bit of sand from the ocean floor and scare a school of tropical fish. That is until Levi actually growls out a sound that is brooding and hostile, causing the bright eyed mermaid to halt and tilt his head in inquiry. He yips in question as he back trots away, suddenly weary. That warning had been directed at him.

The raven haired merman looks a bit affronted… a bit lost. His fins are tense, poised just an inch from his skin but not completely flared. He’s not quite looking at his mate, staring at seemingly nothing as he tries to assess something within himself.

Eren remains where he is to glance over Levi, gills flicking open to catch the confusion in the water as finned ears poise forward before tilting and relaxing. He whines lowly, gets no response and opts to coil on the ocean floor to mewl back at the brooding merman. When no further acknowledgement comes he begins turning this way and that, twisting his body to catch his mate’s attention instead. Yips and whistles spill around him like music as he tries to divert Levi’s attention from his thoughts, waiting for some queue his mate will allow him back into his space. Eren had clearly done something wrong, is viscerally aware of it but doesn’t exactly know what to do other than banter his mate afar for forgiving attention.

Levi is surprisingly quick to snap from his stupor at the attempt of playful calls. Dark eyes turning towards his mate who’s all but buried himself in the sand, eyes bright but still weary- if not worried. He’s rolling around like a pup, flicking small rocks and shells—even pokes a small crab that makes the mistake of scuttling by, nearly getting his finger pinched. The mermaid hisses at the small crustacean, going as far as to bark at the poor thing until it’s snapping its claws at his face.

Levi snorts, letting out his own curt bark that borders on chiding. The mer is going to get his nose pinched if he keeps that up. The tension bleeds out of his muscles at the playful barking of his mate and he stretches out the fins at his back and tail before they relax against his body again. Eren sniffs haughtily, snapping his teeth innocently at the creature one last time before warbling up at Levi.

Emerald eyes turn up and regard him with a bit of caution when the dark haired merman remains silent still and Eren swims a lazy loop around their rock bed, shaking off lingering sand from his skin before wrapping his arms around the surface that juts out slightly. It’s still warm from the heat of their bodies and Eren rubs his cheek against the smooth surface where Levi had slept, letting out a low whine. From this position he can still see Levi through the blades of kelp around him, a garden of it sheltering their rock bed put in by Eren himself days past.

He watches the way Levi’s eyes sharpen in focus, highly aware of what he’s doing. The merman barely blinks as he tracks his eyes through the swaying wall of green, glancing over his outstretched mate, tracing over the glittering scales that line the curve of his back to the tail that sit’s unmoving, waiting. Eren is young, younger than himself by at least a few decades, still shedding the last layers of his premature scales. But he is still an adult by their standards and Levi realizes that he has more important of a role than he may think. The little glittering mer doesn’t quite realize his place yet as an adult, instincts recognizing mate but his behavior is still fiery and rebellious, treating Levi as if a podmate.

Levi chuffs abruptly, throwing back his head in a beckoning arch that he repeats with a casual flick of his tail at the mermaid.

Eren is on him instantly, curling around the merman to warble pleasantries and slides the columns of their throats together to reaffirm his place. Levi allows him to spread his scent until his jewel eyed mate becomes too enthusiastic and he rebukes the mermaid with a breathy despondent hiss. Eren whistles happily, twining in and around Levi, enjoying the feeling of the merman’s skin against his own again.

After a moment, Levi backs away with a throaty warble of intent, all but shooing his mate to settle back. He’ll prove to this mermaid that he’s prime mate material. Eren complies out of curiosity and decides to perch back onto their rock bed stomach down, tail bent towards the surface and flicking back and forth in interest.

The sharp smoldering gaze Levi shoots him has him tilting his head before the raven haired male begins to move. His movements are fluid, midnight tail swaying as he himself stretches across the ocean floor. Eren watches fascinated as color begins to bleed into the grey hues of Levi’s scales. The spines that line his back and the matching set on his tail suddenly flare to their full height, cerulean dancing in contrast to the light filtering through the surface on each plume. There’s even a sharp tone of yellow at the base of each scale littered across his body, contrasting beautifully against the blue hues.

The merman doesn’t miss the way his mate’s eyes hone in on the vibrating display, eyes reacting to every movement they make as the color only grows brighter. The moment Eren shifts forward Levi growls in appreciation, leans his forearms on the sandy floor for support as he arcs his back and bears his teeth to expose their own display, showing off all eight deadly canines. A trait unique to his lineage, his mouth is set with 4 prominent longer major canines that are set next to shorter but just as sharp minor canines.

 _There is no prey that can escape my jaws_ , he portrays to the mermaid.

He continues to expose his teeth and retract his lips, letting out prideful barks as he slaps his tail against the ocean floor, sending sand flying. The strength of the motion itself creates a strong enough current for Eren to feel it and Levi doesn’t miss the way the mermaid suddenly claws at the rock beneath him, mouth open to release a sharp pant as his tail has all but stopped moving.

Pride swells up that he’s entrapped his mate with his display tactics. He is worthy of the mermaids attention– there is no other creature that can match him.

_Watch me move._

_See my strength._

_Accept only me._

_Only I can provide for you._

Silver lined orbs sharpen when they turn onto the mermaid who is staring at him with wide eyes, pupils expanding with each movement he makes. Levi doesn’t need anything more, fluidly making his way over to his mate, expelling his scent to flood their den.

The response is immediate as Eren chokes on a yip, his own scent flaring as Levi stalks through the kelp leaves. The mermaid’s own fins are shuddering, flushing in response to the display with their own hues of teals and golds as Levi crawls up and over the rocks caging him in, prompting Eren to have to roll over onto his back. Curiously, he does nothing more than hover over the blushing mermaid, fins still extended in all their glory as he rumbles out purring growls.

Eren ends up making the first move, his scent heady with approval as he pushes himself up those scant few inches separating them to connect to his mate who is bidding for his attention. The teal eyed mermaid whistles as he nips at the underside of Levi’s jaw until the urge to mingle their scents rises and he cranes his neck to smooth his gland over Levi’s. Display courting is something he is familiar with and he is wholly appreciative that his foreign mate is not so different to the custom. Their already formed bond only serves to enhance the experience.

The merman rumbles his approval, leaning more of his weight onto his mate until Eren’s arm encircle his neck. The little mer is shivering, mewling in his arms and Levi catches the sudden sweet scent that begins to permeate the waters around them. He takes it in, growling softly as he licks and rubs against his mate. Eren has consented to him, but more importantly – he has consented to him as _mate_.

Eren doesn’t seem to mind the heady attention and even allows Levi to maneuver him around with playful nuzzles until his head is tipped back, exposing the vulnerability of his throat.

Levi makes an odd noise, like a rumble of a purr that hasn’t left his chest before rows of sharp pearly teeth bite down on his throat just under his jaw. The action is soft, softer than Eren’s experienced thus far and the teeth barely dimple his skin. However the hold is firm and Levi’s canines are pressing down on a new area that Eren finds extremely sensitive, causes his eyes to roll back drowsily as he stares at the vibrant orange corals at the top of their den. It’s odd and vulnerable, causes his instincts to flare for a brief moment and he wiggles, a garbled yip escaping him at remembering he’d placed a similar hold on him when they’d met. It’s a different area of his throat altogether however and it causes heat to flare, but in comfort.

Levi doesn’t relent, chest rumbling as he expresses his intent for Eren to go still and experience what he’s trying to do. Eren lets a confused warble out before his whole body goes slack, only aware of the creature holding him. He becomes acutely attuned to the slide of his scales as his tail intertwines with his, the tongue that’s stealing laps at his skin underneath the bite and the scent secreting from his glands. Clawed hands are wrapping around his smaller ones, gripping his hands on each side of his body and the cool slide of his belly against his own has him shuddering. Levi is continuing to purr and the sound vibrates into him at the press of their chests.

Despite the haze of his mind, Eren has an inkling to what Levi is doing. He has seen this particular hold before by elder mated pairs, even his own parents…but the significance of it had always been a mystery to him. Under Levi’s bite and in his arms, he realizes it’s an action of testing trust, of allowing his body to fully submit to the merman by being in a vulnerable position. Eren feels his scales tingle under the gentle press of Levi’s own, and feels the way he bends over him protectively, emitting a comforting scent to ensure the mermaid is safe.

And when Levi releases his teeth but not his grip, Eren lets out a mewl, glances up in a stupor to see that the dark haired man has begun to tip his head back to reveal his own throat. The brunette warbles a questioning sound, has never heard or seen of a dominant allowing his mate such a thing in return and for a moment Eren is lost.

Levi croons at him encouragingly, tugs his mate’s tail closer with his own for a brief moment.

Smaller unsure teeth immediately try to find purchase and Levi grunts but doesn’t do anything more but allow Eren to explore. There’s a brief flick of the end of his tail before Eren whines and finally places his teeth in the same spot, trying to mimic the pressure Levi had done so to him. It seems to work though and the emerald eyed mermaid finds that Levi has gone silent and lax. It gives him a weird feeling, a satisfaction so deep that his body all but rips out a purr from his chest in response. This is security, this is home, and Levi is letting the mermaid claim him by allowing him to have this kind of power over him.

He doesn’t linger, feeling an inkling that the bite should not be long and releases Levi who growls despite the purr still rumbling in his own chest. The pair remains pressed together until Eren begins to squirm and Levi knows that there isn’t much he can do about his mate’s rambunctious nature. He unwinds his tail after a moment and Eren yips happily, slides around the dark merman until he’s sliding his entire body against Levi’s back up to his shoulder before playfully biting his jawline. Eren paws at his shoulders not a moment later, hesitant but firm, the pads of his fingers sliding over the scale before trailing down to Levi’s sharp collarbones.

Silver pools contract as they watch the shimmering mermaid furrow his brow in concentration as he maps out Levi’s body, the two mers drifting until Levi is lying on his back on their smooth rock bed. Little growls escape his lips before they morph into a purr when his mate dares to lick at his chest just over his heart.

The jewel eyed mermaid settles atop of him finally, tail arched and flicking playfully behind him as he clicks in content. The golden hue of the scales lining his eyes glimmer against the light of the sun as he blinks, tan skin smooth even as the mermaid bears his smaller canines at his mate lightheartedly. He attempts a playful chuff but it’s abruptly interrupted by a strong rumbling that reverberates against Levi’s torso that causes the merman to stare at him wide eyed.

Eren flushes and whines in embarrassment when Levi ends up whistling his amusement.

Apparently his little mate is hungry.

Much to his surprise, Eren doesn’t bound away to hunt, ignoring him as he had days prior. Instead, the smaller mermaid leans down to nip at his ears, using his body to softly push Levi off the rock. The pale skinned merman makes a sound of mock affliction as he’s pushed from his prone position, shaking his fins and flicking his ears forward.

Eren barks, the sound light and Levi tilts his head, returning the sound with a questioning bark of his own.

Something prideful begins to build within his chest at the look his mate is giving him, those glimmering emerald orbs staring at him expectantly as he idly massages over the smooth skin of his belly.

_Oh._

Levi bears his teeth, dominant scent suddenly flaring in approval. Eren is asking him to provide, to hunt for him – to take care of him as only a mate would. The snap of his teeth in prideful glee isn’t lost to the mermaid as Levi bounds off, the flick of Eren’s tail is all he gets in reprimand at the display as he exits their den.

He’ll make the most of this permission, knowing that his very independent and young mate is beginning to learn of their roles as proper mates.

And hopefully soon, will find him wholly suitable to successfully bear him pups.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Positive comments are appreciated!  
> Passive aggressive ones with negative connotations are not~   
> REMEMBER: Don't like it? Cool! That's completely okay! Close the page - don't read on, & find something you DO like!  
> Please don't comment if you don't find you like it! It's that simple!


	6. Sorry! Not a Chapter but an Update!

Sorry this isn't a chapter!! 

So after much deliberation, I went back through my files of La Mer and thought about the comments I've received and have decided that I will be re-writing this series. I've already started and will be taking this story home with me (most of it was written at work) so that I can push the update. It will be released with a new chapter when everything is said and done! 

My end goal is to clear up the randomness of it as a whole, create and define the characters more and hopefully work on changing up some things so that I can remove the Dub-Con tag to broaden and entice more readers. The chapters will also be adjusted and will probably be longer since I will be adding more detail. 

So this is just a 'Please look Forward to it!' post and to let any new readers know that it's not a discontinued or orphaned work!

Thank you all who have read and support this read!

\- Nikko


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